Missions go sideways all the time, being a field medic for the 141 you’ve learned to expect it. Over the years you’ve found yourself in weird and strange situations. Missions underwater, getting stuck in abandoned buildings, even stranded out on a snowy mountain. But this mission and this surprise may just be the weirdest thing you’ve dealt with yet. Though it also may be the best thing.

You have found yourself on the outskirts of a town in Denmark, using the forest as cover from the enemy tracking you. It’s been days since you last had any contact with the rest of the team, comms having been sabotaged somehow. You were completely alone and you could definitely tell that the stress of everything was getting to you. You were strong but not unbreakable.

The bark of the tree feels rough against your skin as you slump down against the base of the oak. The forest around you is quiet, having run far enough to evade anyone who may be following you. Just as your eyes are about to flutter shut you hear a small tiny yip and then another one.

Immediately your gaze pinpoints to the source of the sound. A very small fox kit, curled up under a tree a few yards away from you. It’s tiny body shaking as it looks like it’s covered in a mix of dirt and blood. And despite your exhaustion your response is immediate.

It doesn’t take much to get the fox kit to trust you as you gently pull it into your arms. The small creature immediately tries to burrow into your vest seeking warmth. And after checking over the kit’s injuries that’s where you let it stay so you can keep it warm.

And days later when exfil finally comes, you know it will be complicated. Luckily the fox kit was content to stay asleep in your vest, leaving there to be no issues. You know sneaking a fox kit back to base is risky but you weren’t going to leave it behind either. You have grown attached.

Setting up a den in your quarters was easy, the fox kit using an old ammo crate you found as a den. You had given it plenty of blankets and other materials to nest with. You were doing good to not get caught.

But slowly you started to get sloppy as your mental health started to slip. The days you spent isolated taking on a heavier toll than the rest of the team noticed at first. It wouldn’t go unnoticed for long though, not when you have Ghost as a teammate.

Ghost notices the late nights you’ve spent in the gym, the skipped meals, and the way you’ve started to retreat. Something changed to the sweet medic on base and Ghost was determined to figure out what. He wasn’t going to let you drown alone.

Though walking into your room to find your curled up around a fox kit was not what he was expecting to find when he shows up to check on you. You don’t even seem to notice that he’s pushed open your door just yet.